§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were charged with corruption in(a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999 and (e) 2000; and how many have been convicted of corruption offences. [20496]
§ Mr. DenhamThe following numbers of officers were convicted of corruption in England and Wales:
Year Number 1996–97 5 1997–98 1 1998–99 2 1999–2000 3 2000–01 3 The information required to provide the number of officers charged with corruption is not held centrally and to seek this information from all police forces would involve a disproportionate cost.
§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in the Metropolitan police are allocated to the investigation of corruption within the police service. [20500]
1009W
§ Mr. DenhamThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that currently there are 376 police officers and 130 civilian support staff allocated to the investigation of corruption.
§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's strategy to tackle corruption in the police service. [20497]
§ Mr. DenhamPrevention and detection of corruption in the police is the responsibility of the chief officer of the police force concerned.
The Standards Unit and the refocused Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) will support the work of the Association of Chief Police Officers and the guidance it has issued on the prevention and detection of corruption in the police.
The Government will assist the police service in its fight against corruption by making changes to the complaints system. We will bring forward in the Police Bill proposals which will enable the Independent Police Complaints Commission (the replacement body for the Police Complaints Authority) to manage police investigations and to conduct its own independent investigations into alleged corruption.